P Bailey – ‘Story’

P Bailey’s “Story” effortlessly merges funk and dance into a celebratory whole. By far the heart of the collection are the strong thoughtful lyrics that drive the songs forward. Carefully constructed these incorporate elements of house, acid techno, funk, and hip-hop into something truly unique. Quite nimble in terms of how carefully it all comes together the pieces positively teem with life. By opting for such a plethora of styles P Bailey is able to show off his dexterity as his vocals are show great dexterity.

Rather ornate with its arrangement is the layered multi-faceted work of “Melody”. Here P Bailey lets the song take on a cinematic hue as the piece grows in power. Optimism pours out of the joyful “Free”. “Underrated” creates an entire narrative as the piece focuses on the underdog. With a little G-funk is the giddy “Kiss My Bottay” whose sound feels reminiscent of Dam-Funk. Heavy in style is the expansive driving rhythm of “Daydreaming”. Letting his voice take on a dreamier approach he offers a beautiful counterbalance to the intense groove. Quite light on its feet is the album highlight “Find Me Somebody”. An infectious bass line anchors the entire thing as P Bailey explores every nuance of the sound. Swimming in a sea of sound is the house-inflected work of “Mystery”. Loud and proud is the intense work of “The System”. Referencing the best of James Brown is the elastic funk of “Story”.

On “Story” P Bailey references funk’s past while moving the sound into the future.